Rectifier element



RECTIFIER ELEMENT Filed July 17, 1945 INVEN TOR. M g;

ATTORNEY I Patented Jan. 25, 1949' i I invention to provide rectifier elements which.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE] RECTIFIER ELEMENT Murray J. Stateman, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Federal Telephone and Radio Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application July 17, 1945, Serial No. 605,616 4 Claims. (01. 175-366) The invention refers to rectifier elements par- Although any metal organic polyselenide can be ticularly those which can withstand a very high used for the barrier layer preferably cadmium, reverse voltage. tin, lead, silver, gold, zinc, copper, brass and other It is, therefore, the main object of the present metals are used for the selenide. The organic agent in the metal organic selenide can be any withstand at least five times the normal reverse alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, acids, phenols and voltage. the like and particularly those organic agents It is very well known that in manufacturing which are soluble in water. rectifier elements a base plate is covered with a Rectifier elements which are equipped with a rectifying layer of selenium, the latter converted barrier layer of metal organic polyselenide acinto its metallic state, whereupon various procecording to the present invention withstand up to dures are used to enable the rectifier elements to more than 100 volts A. C. in the reverse direction.

withstand higher reverse voltage, for example While I have disclosed the principles of my inthe application of insulating lacquers or oxidizing vention in connection with several different emagents to the metallic selenium surface. Finally,- bodiments, it will be understood that these ema counterelectrode layer is applied. bodiments are given by way of example only and According to the present invention, instead of not as limiting the scope of the invention as set the mentioned application of insulating lacquers forth in the objects and the appended claims.

, or oxidizing agents to the metallic selenium sur- What I claim is: l face, there is provided a process for the forming 1. -In a dry rectifier element a metal base plate,

of a barrier layer comprising a. metallic organic a selenium layer on said base plate, a barrier polyselenide, as cadmium organic polyselenide or layer on said selenium layer comprising an ora, tin organic polyselenide, ganic selenide of a metal of the class consisting This type of barrier layer upon a metallic seleof cadmium and tin, and a counterelectrode on nium surface may be produced in the manner dissaid barrier layer.

closed and claimed in my copending patent appli- 2. In a dry rectifier element, a metal base plate,

cations Serial No. 593,542, filed May 12, 1945, en- 7 a. selenium layer on said base plate, a barrier layer titled "Method of manufacturing rectifier elecomprising a cadmium organic selenide, and a ments" and serial No. 605,617, filed July 17, 1945 counterelectrode on said barrier layer.

also entitled "Method of manufacturing rectifier 3. In a dry rectifier element, a metal base plate,

elements." According to these applications, the a selenium layer on said base plate, a barrier layer barrier layer is formed by making the metallic comprising a tin organic selenide on said seleseienium coated element the cathode in electrolnium. layer anda counterelectrode on said barrier ysis of an aqueous alkaline electrolyte containlayer.

ing a cadmium or tin compound and an organic 4. The dry rectifier element, as set forth in substance of the class consisting of water soluble claim 1, in which said barrier layer comprises a alcohols, water soluble aldehydes, water soluble metal polyselenide containing an organic agent ketones, water soluble organic acids and water chosen from the group of alcohols, aldehydes, kesoluble phenols, the anode used being cadmium tones. acids and phenols. or tin depending upon and corresponding to the 40 metal compound in the electrolyte. MURRAY J. STATEMAN.

With the above mentioned object and other obj jects in view, the present invention will be clearly REFERENCES CITED understood from the following detailed descrip- The follow'm'g ref tion in connection with the accompanying drawm f this f are of rd m h ing, in which the rectifier element is shown diarammatically. UNI'I'ED STATES PATENTS Referring now to the drawing, which is a cen- Number Name Date tral transverse section through a rectifier element 2,193,598 Lotz Mar, 12, 1940 with thevarious portions substantially exagger- 2,193,610 wu 12, 1940 ated in thickness,'the rectifier element according to the present invention comprises a metal mama PATENTS base plate I which carries a selenium layer 2. A Number Country Date barrier layer 3 of metal organic polyselenide is 58,421 Norway Sept. 27, 1937 provided on the selenium layer and finally a coun- 116,910 Australia Apr. 28, 1943 terelectrode 4 formed on the barrier layer 3. 

